dubonnet



July 4, 1933.

A. DUBQNNET SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR: flwe'fiaolwei ATTORNEY July 4, 1933. A. DUBONNET SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- INYENTORE I flncire'fluarz lei' Original Filed Dec.

ATTORNEY Remind July 4, 1933 UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE ANDRE DUBONNET, F NEUILLY SUB SEINE, FRANCE SUSPENSION FOB VEHICLES Original 1T0. 1,892,937, dated January 3, 1933, Serial No. 415,510, filed December 20, 1929, and in Belgium October 23,1929. Application for reissue filed April 5, 1933. Serial 1T0. 664,481.

The present invention relates to suspensions for vehicles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for suspending each of the wheels of a vehicle independently.

Another object is to provide shock-absor ingmeans adapted to react independently on each wheel.

Further objects will appearin the course of the detailed description now to be given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partial section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and representing one illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken online 22 of e- Fig. 3 is a section passing through line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective of an assembled chassis and wheels.

Referring to the various figures of the drawings, there is shown a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on the free end of oscillatable arms a,-tapered shaft 6 having recesses formed therein adapted to engage with corresponding elongated keys formed integral with arms a, elements a and I) being maintained in assembled relation by a suitable nut and cotter-pin assembly 6 engaging with shaft b,a plurality of arms a formed inte ral with, or rigidly attached to, shaft b,- ba Lbearings are placed at 11 d supporting elements 6 and O, and a. shockabsorbing assembly enclosed in threadedly engaging casing elements e and e and consisting of a plurality of springs F, f reacting at opposite extremities (1) on a cylinder 9 threadedly engaging with casing e and (2) on a hollow piston/i, the end-portion i of elements i being provided with conical-l orifices 2' adapted to ofler a greater resistance to the exit than to the entry of lubricating fluid into the chambers limited externally by assemblies 51, i, resilient reacting assemblies composed of springs 7', head-elements h and end-plugs 9 serving to maintain arms a in contact with ends e' of pistons a, frictional assemblies for reducing the amplitude of rotation of arms 6 comprising buttons i secured to the latter and frictionally engaging tents of easing 2 becomes accessible.

with arcuate elements 7' held in contact with buttons 7' by springs j, and a lubricating fluid-oil or the like--filling the free space inside casing assembly 6, e

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the orifices z' in the heads of the hollow pistons 11 are conical, each being tapered to provide an inwardly flared passage of gradually increasing section. The lubricating fluid in passing through said passages 21 into the cylinder 9 and pistons z encounters a greater resistance when flowing in the direction in which the sectionincreases, that is, in the direction corresponding to the outward movement'of the pistons 11, than when passing in the opposite direction corresponding to the inward movement of the pistons z;

The manner in which the device operates is practically self-evident from the descrip- Y ate to bring arms 0 back to equilibrium fposik tion without violence when springs f force pistons 71 outward.

Casings 0 may be detachably mounted on the vehicle chassis and may be connected to a conduit providing a supply of oil under pressure (not shown), if desired. It will be noted that, by unscrewing nut 6 and removing arm a and end element 6 the entire con- The magnitude of the compression on springs f, f and i-may be varied by rotation of elements g and g and these springs may be re-- moved for repair by the same operation with out detaching elements e and e. Arms 0 are not mounted radially to diminish any possibility of bending orloreakage and are, preferably even in number.

Qbviously, the invention is not to be taken as limited to the particular structures described but may he modified in various ways,

Mill

which will be obvious to those skilled in the art thus: Assemblies 7', h, g may be replaced by those of the type 9 2', f 7' or conversely; frictional assembly j, 7' may be used alone 5 without the adjunction of the resilient structremity, means for diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of said wheel supporting element comprising an arm'mounted to rotate about the axis of oscillation of the wheel supporting element and to react on the latter,

and a dash-pot bearing against said arm and including a pair of hollow telescoping elements, one of said telescoping elements having a passage of gradually increasing section formed theret-hrough, whereby a fluid moving through said passage encounters a greater resistance when flowing in one direction than in the'direction opposite.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 in combination with means operative to frictionally oppose angular displacement of said arm.-

3. In a vehicle provided with a wheel, a chassis, and a wheel supporting element oscillatably supported about an axis on said chassis and carrying said wheel for rotation about another axis, means for diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of said wheel supportmg element comprising a plurality of arms mount ed to rotate about the axis of oscillation of the wheel supporting element and to react on the latter, and a pair of dash pots mounted at an angle to one another and bearing against said arms, each of said dash pots including a pair of telescoping elements, one of said telescoping' elements havinga passage formed through the wall thereof adapted to offer resistance to the passage of a fluid therethrough, in combination with springs mounted inslde said dash pots and tending to force said telescoping elements apart, and a spring reacting against one of said arms for opposing recoil of said interior dash pot springs.

4. In a vehicle provided with a wheel, a chassis, and a wheel supporting element oscillatably supported about an' axis on said chassis and carrying said wheel for rotation about another' axis, means for resiliently supporting said chassis and diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of said wheel supporting element comprising more thantwo arms mounted to rotate about the axis of the element and to react upon the latter, dash pots corresponding in number to said arms and bearing thereagainst, each of said dash pots including a pair of telescoping elements,

one of eachpair of telescoping elements hfl-V- ing a passage formed through the wall there of adapted to offer resistance to the flow of a fluid therethrough, a spring positioned inforce the corresponding pair of telescoping elements apart, and springs reacting against certain of said arms and opposing extension of said dash pots.

5. In a vehicle provided with a wheel, a chassis, a wheel supporting element oscillatably supported about an axis on said chassis and carrying said wheel for rotation about another axis, means for resiliently supporting said chassis and diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of the wheel supporting element, comprising an arm mounted to rotate with said element and to react upon the latter, said arm extending in the direction of the axis of rotation thereof, a plurality of dash-pot units positioned adjacent each other in the direction of said axis and bearing against said arm, each unit including a pair of relatively movable members, spring means tending to force said members apart and providing resilient suspension means for said chassis, and fluid passage means providing reiistance to relative movement of said mem- 6. In a vehicle provided with a wheel, a chassis, and a wheel supporting element oscil latably supported about an axis on said chassis and carrying said wheel for rotation about another axis, means for resiliently supporting said chassis and diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of said wheel supporting element comprising a plurality of arms mounted to rotate with said element to react upon the latter, each of said arms extending in the direction of its axis of rotation, a plurality of dash-pot units positioned adjacent each other in the direction of said axis and bearing against one of said arms, another set of dash-pot units positioned adjacent each other in the direction of said axis and bearing against another of said arms, each unit includinga pair of relativelymovable members, spring means tending to force said members apart and providing resilient suspension means for said chassis and fluid passage means providing resistance to relathe movement of said members.

7. In a vehicle provided with a wheel, a

chassis, and a wheel supporting element 0sr cillatably supported about an axis on said chasis and carrying said wheel for rotationabout another axis, means for resiliently supporting said chassis and diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of the wheel supporting element comprising an arm mounted to rotate with said element and to react upon the latter, a fluid containing casing in which side each of said dash pots and tending'to said arm is mounted, said arm extending in the direction of the axis of rotation thereof and substantially across the full width of said casing, a plurality of dash-pot units positioned adjacent each other in the direction of said axis and bearing agamst said arm, each unit including a pair of relatively movable elements, spring means within said dash-pots tending to force said elements apart and providing resilient suspension means for said chassis, and fiuid passage means providing resistance to relative movement of said elements.

8. A vehicle provided with a wheel, a chassis, and a wheel supporting element oscillatably supported about an axis on said chassis and carrying said wheel for rotation about another axis, means for resiliently supporting said chassis and diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of the wheel supporting element, comprising a plurality of arms mounted to rotate with said element and to react upon the latter, a fluid-containing casing in which said arms are mounted, each of said arms extending in the direction of its axis of rotation'and across substantially the full width of said casing, a plurality of dashpot units positioned adjacent each other in the direction of said axis and bearing against one of said arms, a plurality of dash-pot units positioned adjacent each other in the direction of said axis and bearing against another of said arms, each unit including a pairof telescoping elements,spring means within said dash-pots tending to force said telescoping elements apart and providing. resilient suspension means for, said chassis, and fluid passage means providing" resistance to relative movement of said telescoping elements.

9. In a vehicle provided with a wheel, a chassis, a wheel sup-porting element oscillatably supported about an axis on said chassis and carrying said wheel for rotation about another axis, means for resihently sup porting said chassis and diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of the wheel supporting element, comprising an arm mounted to rotate with said element and to react upon the latter, said arm extending in the direction of its axis of rotation, a plurality of dashpot units, positioned adjacent each other in the direction of said axis and bearing against said arm, each unit including a pair of relatively movable members and spring means tending to force said me-mbersapart and providing resilient suspension means for said chassis, fluid passage means providing resistance to relative movement of said members, and means for varying the effect of the spring means of oneof said units with respect to that of the springmeans of another of said units.

ing element, comprising an arm mounted to I bers and spring means tending to force saidmembers apart and providing resilient suspension means for said chassis, fluid passage means providing resistance for relative move ment to said members, and means for varying the effect of the spring means of one of said units with respect to that of the spring means of another of said units.

11. In a vehicle provided with a wheel, a chassis, and a wheel supporting element oscillatably supported about an axis on said chassis and carrying said wheel for rotation about another axis, means for resiliently supporting said chassis and diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of said wheel supporting element comprising a plurality of arms mounted to rotate about the axis of oscillation of said element and to react upon the latter, each of said arms being spaced from another of said arms at an angle substantially less than 180, each of said arms extending along said axis, a plurality of dashpot units spaced from each other in the direction of said axis and bearing against one of said arms, another set of dash-pot units spaced from each other in the direction of said axis and bearing against another of said arms, each unit including a pair of telescoping elements and springvmeans tending to force said telescoping elements apart and providing resilient suspension means for said chassis, fluid passage means providing resistance to relative movement of said telescoping elements and means for varying the eifect of the spring means of one of said units with respect to that of the spring means of another of said units.

12. A Vehicle provided with a wheel, a chassis, and a wheel supporting element oscillatably supported about an axis on said chassis and carrying said wheel for rotation aboutanother axis, means for resiliently supporting said chassis and diminishing the amplitude of oscillation of the wheel supporting element, comprising an arm mounted to rotate with said element and to react upon the latter, said arm extending in the direction of its axis of rotation, a plurality of spring pressed elements positioned adjacent each other in the direction of said axis and bearing against said arm, and energy absorbing means for dampening the recoil of said springs.

ANDRE DUBONNET. 

